Sharing a project .PLN file with someone else

[SJPHouse2]

Hi there - I'm working with someone in another country who is going to assist/ collaborate with me on a project. He has the International version of Archicad 23 and I have the US version 23. What is the best way I can send him a template .pln file that has the layers I would like him to use as well as the library items he would need? If anyone can point me in the direction of any tutorials or videos on how to share files that would be much appreciated! Thanks so much. 

[Karl Ottenstein]

Assist / collaborate is left a bit vague in your post.   If you mean you are going to farm out the work and not interact a lot with the remote worker, then sending your template as a PLA (not as a PLN) and the US library LCF is one option.  (You want to send a PLA of your template since even a template contains library objects... which may come from places other than the standard library... A PLA of a project embeds all used objects and necessary macros into a single file.)

You said 'the library items he would need' - which sounds like you have library parts that you want to be used ... and don't want free use of all library parts?  If that's the case, then in your template file, just place one copy of every object that you want in the project (creating a fake wall for placing windows/doors obviously) and then save as a PLA and share that via your favorite cloud storage.

If, on the other hand, you really mean 'collaborate' with the remote worker, then you should look into using Teamwork - where you would upload to BIMcloud Basic (free) or BIMcloud ($ but you don't have to configure your own server) your template or project, the USA library and any other office libraries, and you both could be signed into the project at the same time.

https://graphisoft.com/us/solutions/bimcloud

https://community.graphisoft.com/t5/Teamwork-articles/Getting-Started-with-GRAPHISOFT-BIMcloud-Basic...

[Miha_M]

Also be careful if you'd like to use classifications and ifc based collaboration. I don't know how the INT and US version settings are compatible with the element properties, classification and pre-set translators. As they are both english based it could work out, but different language localization versions are not out of the box compatible. To avoid such potential problems I would suggest you both work on the same localization version. We've been talking about localizations on another post and it looks like all english based Archicad localizations do work on the same Codemeter dongle, so that shouldn't be a problem. But, as @Karl Ottenstein said, the best way would be to set up a BIMcloud basic or BIMcloud environment.

[SJPHouse2]

Thank you that is helpful. Initially I am farming work out to him and seeing what his abilities are, but I could see actual collaboration in the future. When I say 'library' I'm referring to the whole library - I was concerned there may be items in the library of my US version (i.e. doors, windows, etc.) that are not in his International version and vice/versa. 

[SJPHouse2]

Hi Miha - are you suggesting it would be better if we were both working in the same version - i.e. both of us using the US version or both of us using the International version? If so is there an easy way for him to switch from his International version over to the US version? 

[Miha_M]

How do you plan to work together? I'll be honest here. If you model your project and use Archicad as one should use it, then at least BIMcloud Basic is a must. This way you can work together. If it's just a drafting job, then you probably don't need anything but to send him your project file as a .pla file and your entire library. He'll work on a separate file, created upon your project file. This way all setting, linetypes, colors, etc. will be synced (until one of you changes something after the initial set-up, so none of you shouldn't).

But, if you need to work further on whatever he did for you, it's again BIMcloud Basic which I would suggest you use.

As for the localization, if it's an US based project I'd go for the US localization - if it works on an INT based Codemeter license. He'd need to have a secont installation of Archicad (the US localisation) for that, which he can probably find on the GS web pages. If it's just a drafting job with no classifications and ifc based collaboration the localisations can be different.